Golf travels to State College in search of a rankings jump

The Penn golf team hopes to continue the success of their last competition at this weekends Penn State Invitational. While Penn has accomplished its primary goal of winning an Ivy title, a Quaker victory could propel the team into the NCAA Regionals. While many of Penn's Ivy foes will travel to Princeton this weekend for the Tiger Invitational, the Quakers must travel to State College to bolster their chances at an NCAA berth. Of the 18 teams competing this weekend, three of the top four in the Quakers region will be in the field. Penn, currently ranked sixth in the region, will need to perform well to leapfrog three of the top four teams -- Penn State, Seton Hall and James Madison -- in the regional rankings. Only the top four in the region advance, and this, being the Quakers' last tournament of the year, will provide the final opportunity for Penn. The Penn State course has special meaning for Quakers head coach Francis Vaughn. As a high school golfer, Vaughn finished second place twice in the Pennsylvania High School Championships. "The golf course has not changed much since then; it will bring back memories of my amateur days," said Vaughn. "Hopefully those experiences will help guide the team to a better than second place finish." Competing for Penn will be senior Adam Bradshaw, sophomore Rob Goldfaden, freshman Kyle Moran and junior Kiki Kyrle. Vaughn commented he would select a fifth Quaker before this weekends competition begins. Junior Brian Owens has recently begun practicing and hopes to soon rejoin the team since his injury in March. Leading the Quakers into his final tournament is the veteran Bradshaw. The captain, who arrived at Penn when the Quakers golf team and program was in shambles, has now taken part in the complete turnaround of Penn golf. Bradshaw strongly believes that the Red and Blue this weekend will not be the final tournament of the season for Penn. "I hope we can continue on our high from last week," said Bradshaw. Coming off its inaugural Ivy Championship, the Quakers are as ready as ever to continue their march forward. A berth in the NCAA Regional field would certainly prove an excellent culmination of what has been a record-setting spring season.